The joint East Asia Pacific (EAP) and South Asia (SAR) Regional Workshop highlighted the importance of strengthening land tenure to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future. The event was part of the broader theme “Breaking Barriers: Access to Land and Poverty Reduction and Climate Resilience,” focusing on regional experiences and innovations in land management.

The session examined innovative approaches to empower rural and Indigenous women through secure land rights, emphasizing the vital role of women in climate mitigation and adaptation. It highlighted the persistent barriers that women face in land ownership and control, which impact their economic security, adaptation capacity, and participation in decision-making processes related to land and climate.

The session examined the vital connection between land rights and intergenerational dynamics, focusing on the role of youth within Indigenous Peoples and local communities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America in climate action. Participants explored how limited access to land and resources, as well as restricted participation in agriculture, impacts young people's involvement in rural areas. These challenges have driven youth migration to urban centers and contributed to an aging rural population, threatening local agriculture, food security, and traditional climate practices.

The roundtable session on carbon markets and climate justice addressed how carbon trading frameworks can be designed to protect community land rights, especially as countries in Africa and Asia establish legal frameworks in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The discussions highlighted the crucial role of tenure security in achieving effective conservation, recognizing that rural communities are key to successful conservation outcomes.